Did The Dodgers Overpay For Shohei Ohtani?
Shohei Ohtani has finally made his cataclysmic decision. The two-way superstar is staying in Los Angeles, Calif., but on the blue side. He is signing a ten-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, which is easily the largest in North American sports history. His talent is undeniable, of course. However, given his injury situation and other factors, did the Dodgers overpay here? Let’s talk about it!
The Case For Yes:
$70 million a season, no matter who you are, is a ludicrous amount of money. It blows any NBA and NFL contract completely out of the water. If I was a Dodgers fan, my concern would be if my team just paid for Ohtani’s accomplishments rather than what he will provide. There is no better DH in baseball than him, yes.
However, we already know he will not pitch until 2025, and who knows if he will be the same pitcher when he comes back? There’s a reason some called him better than Babe Ruth. There’s no way of knowing if the Angels got the best years out of him until the calendars turn to March.
While the structure of the contract will help the Dodgers continue adding, it’s still gonna be an uphill battle for ownership. They will be dipping into the luxury tax regularly while potentially needing to have a payroll close to $300 million to field a complete team.
The Case For No:
It’s a two-edged sword, however; winning will wipe away any concerns or question marks. Los Angeles now has a three-headed monster in the middle of the lineup; Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman might be the best “Big 3” in baseball history. Yes, Andrew Friedman will have lots of work to do to fill out this team, but he has his stars. This core will have plenty of years together to push for World Series titles.
Ohtani will also go from missing the playoffs regularly to arguably the presumptive favorite to win it all in 2024.
You must also consider the off-field financials here. “Sho-time” is a commercial giant, and will pull in millions in terms of marketing, advertising and fan buzz from Japan. The New Balance commercials you have likely seen are just the beginning if you ask me. I would absolutely love to see what the books look like because the amount of revenue coming in must offset that contract considerably.
In terms of on-field value, the Dodgers definitely overpaid, even if it’s a little bit. However, having Shohei Ohtani in your building means so much more than what goes on the baseball field.
